Browser with low resource consumption. Browsers for Windows

06.12.2019

Good day, friends! I'm sorry that there have not been updates on the blog for a long time, I promise to improve and delight you with articles more often. Today I have prepared for you ranking of the best browsers of 2018 for Windows 10. I use this particular operating system, so I will focus on it, but there will not be much difference for users of previous versions of Windows.

On the eve of last year, I did. Now the situation has changed a little, which I will tell you about in this article. I will be glad to your comments and remarks. Go!

Best browsers 2018: ranking for Windows

I don't think it will surprise anyone if I say that more than 90% of the population uses the Windows operating system on their computers. It remains the most popular version, which is quite understandable with a huge list of advantages (but more on that in another article). I just switched to a couple of months ago and therefore this article will be especially relevant for users of the "dozens".

1st place - Google Chrome

Google Chrome is back in the lead among browsers. It is quite powerful and efficient, just perfect for owners of modern computers. According to LiveInternet open statistics, you can see that almost 56% of users prefer Chrome. And the number of his fans is growing every month:

Percentage of Google Chrome usage among users

I don't know what you think, but I think almost 108 million visitors can't be wrong! And now let's look at the advantages of Chrome and reveal the secret of its truly wild popularity.

Tip: always download programs only from the official website of the manufacturer!

Advantages of Google Chrome

Speed. This is perhaps the main reason why users give their preference to him. I found an interesting speed test of various browsers. Well done guys, they did quite a lot of work, but the results are quite expected: Google Chrome is the leader in speed among competitors. In addition, Chrome has the ability to preload the page, thereby increasing the speed of work even higher.
Convenience. The interface is thought out "to the smallest detail." There is nothing superfluous, the principle is implemented: "open and work". Chrome was one of the first to implement the ability to quickly access. The address bar works in conjunction with the search engine selected in the settings, which saves a few more seconds for the user.
Stability. In my memory, only a couple of times Chrome stopped working and reported a failure, and even then the cause was viruses on the computer. This reliability of operation is ensured by the separation of processes: if one of them is stopped, the others still work.
Safety. Google Chome has its own regularly updated database of malicious resources, and the browser also requires additional confirmation to download executable files.
Mode "Incognito". This is especially true for those who do not want to leave traces of visiting certain sites, and there is no time to clean the history and cookies.
Task Manager. A very handy feature that I use regularly. It can be found under the More Tools menu. With the help of such a tool, you can track which of the tabs or which extension requires a lot of resources and complete the process in order to get rid of the "brakes".

Extensions. For Google Chrome, there are a huge number of different free plugins, extensions and themes. Accordingly, you can literally make your own browser assembly that will meet exactly your needs. The list of available extensions can be found at this link.

Built-in page translator. An extremely useful feature for those who like to surf the Internet in a foreign language, but do not know at all foreign languages. Pages are translated automatically using Google Translate.
Regular updates. Google carefully monitors the quality of its products, so the browser is updated automatically without you even noticing it (unlike updates in Firefox, for example).
ok, google. Voice search is available in Google Chrome.
Synchronization. You decide, for example, to reinstall Windows or buy a new computer, but you have already forgotten half of the passwords. Google Chrome gives you the option not to think about it at all: when you sign in to your account, all your settings and passwords will be imported to your new device.
Ad blocking. I wrote about this separately.

Disadvantages of Google Chrome

But everything can not be so rosy and beautiful, you ask? Of course, there is also a fly in the ointment. The main disadvantage of Google Chrome can be called it "the weight". If you have an old computer with very modest performance resources, it is better to stop using Chrome and consider other browser options. The minimum amount of RAM for Chrome to work correctly must be 2 GB. There are other negative features of this browser, but they are unlikely to be of interest to the average user.

2nd place - Opera

One of the oldest browsers that has recently begun to revive. Its heyday was during a time of limited and slow internet (remember Opera Mini on Simbian devices?). But even now the Opera has its own "chip", which none of the competitors has. But we will talk about this below.

Advantages of Opera

Speed. There is a magical feature of Opera Turbo, which allows you to significantly increase the speed of loading sites. In addition, Opera is perfectly optimized to work on slow computers with weak technical specifications, thus becoming a great alternative to Google Chrome.
Saving. It is very important for Internet owners with restrictions on the amount of traffic. Opera not only increases the speed of loading pages, but also significantly reduces the amount of traffic received and transmitted.
informative. Opera may warn you that the site you want to visit is unsafe. Various icons will help you understand what is happening and what the browser is currently using:

Express panel of bookmarks. Not an innovation, of course, but still a very handy feature of this browser. Hotkeys are also provided for instant access to browser control directly from the keyboard.
Built-in ad blocker. In other browsers, the blocking of endless ad units and intrusive pop-ups is implemented using third-party plugins. The developers of Opera have foreseen this moment and built an ad blocker into the browser itself. At the same time, the speed of work increases by 3 times! If necessary, this feature can be disabled in the settings.
Energy saving mode. Opera allows you to save up to 50% of the battery charge of your tablet or laptop.

Built-in VPN . In the era of the Yarovaya law and the heyday of Roskomnadzor, there is nothing better than a browser with a free built-in VPN server. With it, you can easily access prohibited sites, or you can watch movies that are blocked in your country at the request of the copyright holder. It is because of this incredibly useful feature that I use Opera all the time.
Extensions. Like Google Chrome, Opera boasts large quantity(more than 1000+) various extensions and themes.

Disadvantages of Opera

Safety. According to the results of some tests and studies, the Opera browser is not safe, it often does not see a potentially dangerous site and does not save you from scammers. Therefore, you use it at your own risk.
Might not work on older computers, high system requirements.

3rd place - Mozilla Firefox

A rather strange, but still popular choice for many users is the Mozilla Firefox browser (known as "The Fox"). In Russia, it is in third place in popularity among PC browsers. I will not judge anyone's choice, I myself used it for quite a long time, until I switched to Google Chrome.

Any product has its fans and haters, Firefox is no exception. Objectively, it certainly has its advantages, I will consider them in more detail.

Pros of Mozilla Firefox

Speed. Quite a controversial indicator for the Fox. This browser is quite nimble until that great moment until you install a few plugins. After that, the desire to use Firefox will disappear for a certain period of time.
Side panel. Many fans note that the sidebar (shortcut Ctrl + B) is an incredibly handy thing. Almost instant access to bookmarks with the ability to edit them.
Fine tuning. The ability to make the browser absolutely unique, to “sharpen” it to fit your needs. Access to them is about:config in the address bar.
Extensions. A huge number of different plugins and add-ons. But, as I already wrote above, the more of them are installed, the stronger the browser becomes stupid.

Firefox Disadvantages

Thor-mo-za . This is exactly why a huge number of users have abandoned the use of Lisa and preferred any other browser (most often Google Chrome). It slows down terribly, it got to the point that I had to wait for a new empty tab to open.

4th place - Yandex.Browser

A fairly young and modern browser from the Russian search engine Yandex. In February 2017, this PC browser ranked second in popularity after Chrome. Personally, I use it very rarely, it is difficult for me to trust a program that is trying to deceive me at any cost and almost force me to install itself on my computer. Plus, sometimes it replaces other browsers when downloading not from official ones.

Nevertheless, it is quite a worthy product, which is trusted by 8% of users (according to LiveInternet statistics). And according to Wikipedia - 21% of users. Consider the main advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of Yandex.Browser

Close integration with other Yandex products. If you regularly use Yandex.Mail or, then Yandex.Browser will be a real find for you. In fact, you will receive a complete analogue of Google Chrome, only ideally tailored for another search engine - the Russian Yandex.
Turbo mode. Like many other Russian developers, Yandex likes to peep ideas from competitors. I wrote about the magical function of Opera Turbo above, here it is essentially the same, I will not repeat it.
Yandex.Zen. Your personal recommendations: various articles, news, reviews, videos and more right on the start page. We opened a new tab and ... woke up after 2 hours :) In principle, the same thing is available with the Visual Bookmarks extension from Yandex for other browsers.

Synchronization. There is nothing surprising in this function - when you reinstall Windows, all your settings and bookmarks will be saved in the browser.
smart line. A really useful tool - answers to questions right in the search bar, without having to go to the search results and search through other pages.

Safety. Yandex has its own technology - Protect, which warns the user about visiting a potentially dangerous resource. Protect includes several independent modes of protection against various network threats: encryption of data transmitted over a WiFi channel, password protection and anti-virus technologies.
Setting appearance . Choose from a huge number of ready-made backgrounds or the ability to upload your own picture.
Quick mouse gestures. Managing the browser has become even easier: just hold down the right mouse button and perform a specific action to get the desired operation:

Yandex.Tablo. Also a very convenient tool - on the start page there will be 20 bookmarks of the sites you most visit. The tile panel for these sites can be customized to your liking.

As you can see, this is a really complete modern web browsing tool. I think that its share in the browser market will constantly grow, and the product itself will develop in the future.

Disadvantages of Yandex.Browser

obsession. Whatever program I try to install, what service I don’t get into - here it is right there: Yandex.Browser. Walks right on the heels and whines: "Install me." Constantly wants to change the start page. And he wants a lot more. He looks like my wife :) At some point, it starts to piss me off.
Speed. Many users complain about the speed of opening new tabs, which even overshadows the infamous Mozilla Firefox. Especially true for weak computers.
No flexible settings. Unlike the same Google Chrome or Opera, Yandex.Browser does not have wide possibilities for adapting to your own individual needs.

5th place - Microsoft Edge

The youngest of modern browsers, was launched by Microsoft in March 2015. This browser has replaced Internet Explorer, which is hated by many (which is rather strange, since IE is statistically the most secure browser!). I started using Edge from the moment I installed the "dozens", that is, quite recently, but I have already made up my mind about it.

Microsoft Edge is rapidly breaking into the browser market and its share is growing every day

Pros of Microsoft Edge

Full integration with Windows 10. This is perhaps Edge's strongest trait. It works like a complete application and uses all the features of the most modern operating system.
Safety. Edge took over from its "big brother" IE the most strengths, including safe web surfing.
Speed. In terms of speed, I can put it in third place after Google Chrome and Opera, but still its performance is very good. The browser does not bother, the pages open quickly and load in a couple of seconds.
Reading mode. I use this function most often on mobile devices, but maybe it will be useful for someone in the PC version.
Cortana voice assistant. To be honest, I haven't used it yet, but it's rumored to be way behind OK Google and Siri.
Notes. Microsoft Edge introduces handwriting and note-taking functionality. An interesting thing, I must tell you. Here's what it looks like in reality:

Create a note in Microsoft Edge. Step 1.

Create a note in Microsoft Edge. Step 2

Disadvantages of Microsoft Edge

Windows 10 only. This browser is only available to owners latest version operating system Windows - "tens".
Sometimes stupid. For me it happens like this: you enter the page URL (or make a transition), a tab opens and the user sees a white screen until the page is fully loaded. Personally, it annoys me.
Incorrect display. The browser is quite new and some old sites “float” in it.
Poor context menu. It looks like this:

Lack of personalization. Unlike other browsers, Edge will be difficult to customize for specific needs and tasks.

What browser do you use? I look forward to your suggestions in the comments. If you have any questions - ask, I will answer as soon as possible!

Quite a lot of web browsers force everyone working on the Internet to solve the problem of a relatively functional and lightweight browser, whose actions can "eat" a smaller number of OPs.

Each program that runs on a computer takes the number of resources it needs, which in turn are necessary for good performance. In the browser situation, the amount of RP subtracted is subject to a number of reasons.

Browser optimization

A developed Internet browser that does not have optimization will take a larger number of OPs, which is dangerous when a person's computer has only up to four gigabytes. For each tab you open in the browser, additional memory is allocated. The more of them are open, the stronger the browser's appetite manifests itself.

Additional functions

AT this moment it is impossible to imagine the work of a browser without additional functions, the actions of which make it possible, if necessary, to change the IP address, block advertising content, download files and perform many other necessary options.

And, if too many options are set in the browser settings, it will start taking up PC resources several times more.

Viruses

A virus attack adversely affects the operation of the OS and programs in general, as well as the operation of browsers, which disrupts their correct operation. Given all of the above, we can consider browsers empty, that is, without add-ons and with the same number of tabs. Only in this way, and not otherwise, is it really possible to find out which of the browsers consumes less resources.

Consumption of OP by the browser, comparative moments.

The most consumed browser is Mozilla Firefox, and the lightest is Opera.

2. Opening 3 tabs.

Having opened 3 identical tabs, you can see that the indicators are the same. It is worth considering that Chrome is voracious, like Firefox.

3. Opening ten tabs.

Most people don't get by with just two or three tabs, so it's best to pay attention to how search engines behave with 10 tabs open.

In this case, Opera remains a profitable browser in terms of RAM consumption compared to other browsers. Both Yandex and Google have gone higher, eating up decent OP, while Mozilla has come close to Opera in terms of results.

4. Opening nine tabs. You should immediately close nine tabs in each browser and make sure that the OP consumption remains unchanged.

So, everything is back in place - Opera is the most efficient, and Firefox is again the last. At the end of what has been said. From this process, it becomes clear that the most efficient browser in all verification steps is Opera.

It should be noted that Mozilla is ideal for a large number of open tabs. The same cannot be said about Google and Yandex, which add more RAM to each new open tab.

I would like to emphasize that each candidate is a powerful and functional browser that behaves excellently with a large number of open sites.

The Opera browser really likes to unnecessarily load the system, but it also depends on the capabilities of the computer itself, on most modern ones it is not even felt. As an alternative, I can recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.

What I like about Mozilla FireFox is that if you have it set to restore your last bookmarks, it actually loads and updates only the current bookmark when you start it up. Other browsers, when launched with a similar setting, try to download and update all bookmarks. I didn’t measure it exactly, but I also suspect that in this case FireFox eats less memory, only for bookmarks viewed this time. And it starts with several dozen open bookmarks in almost the same way as with one. I've been using this browser for the most part lately.

Try the Lynx browser.

It does not load the processor at all and nothing is needed for memory.

I like Mozilla Firefox, it seems to be the most adaptable to different users, but it's not the lightest, it likes to eat. I tried different browsers at one time and, according to my observations, Chrom consumes the least resources. I don't claim to be accurate, I'm not an expert. But by the method of trials on my laptop, I made just such a conclusion.

I can say that chrome, perhaps, loads the most, less FireFox and Opera. In general, if you choose from these browsers, then I would recommend you FireFox, but first find out what the problem is with the load.

I think the most the best option in your problem is Mozilla Firefox. There is also Opera, but I don’t use it, I didn’t like it.

Google Chrome loads the processor and RAM the most, so you should give it up if you have such problems with your computer.

browser loads less processor
It is believed that the fastest browsers based on the Chromium engine. Chrome and Yandex browsers work on such an engine. But my personal opinion is that the opera works the fastest, though over time it heavily loads the RAM, in this case I just clear the cache. This is my personal subjective opinion. Most likely I'm just used to working with Opera.

maxton browser.does not load the system at startup and during operation.

I like Yandex browser, though I can’t say for sure how much it takes random access memory. But it works quite fast and conveniently. I heard such an opinion that all browsers, approximately, equally load the processor, but everything depends on their settings.

I use Opera. Mozilla Firefox is also installed, which really loads the system less, but Opera is more convenient for me (with 10 windows open, it consumes up to 140). And about Chome - my computer falls into a coma. It is impossible to use eats all resources.

The most so-called less demanding system requirements. This is a browser of the link family .. The disadvantage of this browser, that it is a text browser, came to us from the good old days, when graphics loaded many computers and an alternative was needed.

Chrome very decently loads RAM, with plug-ins in general, about 700 MB came out. I used the light version of Mozilla - Pale Moon, until I messed up and removed the extra)

The FireFox or Opera browser loads the processor of a personal computer the least.

I am using Mozilla Firefox browser. It seems to me that it works quickly and without loading the operating system.

Other browsers, such as Google Chrome, seem to be fast too, but the processor is a bit under pressure.

It all depends on the hardware of the personal computer. The steeper it is, the more inconspicuous the browser is for the processor.

How does the browser load the processor ...
In fact, everyone can look at the answer to such a question on their computer by opening the Windows Task Manager. On the Processes tab, you can see how much resources all running programs eat up - CPU usage in% and memory (private set) KB. Of all the browsers installed on my typewriter, for communicating on the Internet, I like the Fire Fox the most. And not at all due to the fact that it loads the CPU by only 1-2%, but for its excellent customizability, excellent speed, ease of use and full compatibility with my antivirus from Zhenya Kaspersky...

You write that Opera consumes too much, and you ask which browser loads the processor and RAM less, but the answer is obvious, this is just the same Opera. I have something to compare, I have three browsers, and Chrome has the most load lately. And here Firefox and Opera the best in my opinion, in such a situation.

You need to find out why you have such a situation, maybe some applications are in conflict, or a lot of different unnecessary extensions are stuffed.

In any case, it has been verified that Opera and Mozilla consume much less resources. But if they are used incorrectly, they will have problems. Mozilla is my favorite browser.

Browsers, like any other programs, consume various computer resources. Modern browsers are the most demanding on the amount of RAM (RAM), and they use memory in very impressive quantities. Owners of modern powerful computers with a large amount of RAM (from 4 GB) do not think about the voracity of installed programs, but for owners of outdated or new budget computers, this indicator should be the main one. That is why I decided to conduct a comparative review of the most popular browsers in the world. The test will include: Opera 27, Google Chrome 40, Mozilla Firefox 35, Internet Explorer 9 and Safari 5.1.7. Measurements are made on a computer with 5 GB DDR2 memory and Intel processor Core2Duo E7200 (overclocked to 2×3.5GHz) under Windows control 7 ultimate.

Memory consumption by browsers with 1st tab

To begin with, let's see how much RAM each of the browsers uses when opening one tab with the site. For convenience, I put the results in a diagram.

Memory consumption by browsers with the 1st open tab

The most economical browsers in this run were standard Internet Explorer and Safari (Apple's browser). The title of the most voracious was given to Opera and Firefox, but they can be justified by excellent functionality and beautiful visualization. Google Chrome has taken an intermediate position.

Memory consumption by browsers with 5 tabs

Now in each browser I will open 5 tabs with the following sites: site, google.com, yandex.ru, youtube.com, 3dnew.ru.

Memory consumption by browsers with 5 open tabs

The leaders in terms of economy are still Internet Explorer and Safari. Google Chrome, when opening 5 tabs, significantly outperformed Firefox and took second place in terms of gluttony in this test. An unusual turn of events, but the most interesting thing awaits us in the next tests.

Memory consumption by browsers with 20 tabs

And now I will open 20 tabs with sites in each browser: site, google.com, yandex.ru, youtube.com, 3dnew.ru, aykro.ua, olx.ua, ebay.com, ex.ua, megogo.net and Top 10 news sites.

Memory consumption by browsers with 20 open tabs

As you can see from the diagram, Google Chrome and Safari turned out to be the most voracious. Firefox showed simply excellent results of profitability! But this is not the most important thing, I will describe below the behavior of browsers and the load on the central processor when opening 20 tabs at the same time.

Internet Explorer after opening the 8th tab started to slow down VERY STRONGLY 🙂 I opened the 20th tab with the feeling that now I am using my first computer (with a Celeron 300MHz processor and 128 MB of RAM). The memory consumption of this browser was modest, but 100% CPU usage and terrible lags brought all its economy to naught. In addition, with an Internet speed of 18 Mbps, IE downloaded the 20 sites indicated above in about 4-5 minutes!!! Do not use this browser ever, save your nerves)))

Opera loaded all 20 sites very quickly (about 15-20 seconds), faster than other browsers. It practically did not freeze, the CPU load jumped sharply to the maximum for a couple of seconds, but then also quickly dropped to 15-20%. You have to pay for the speed of work with a solid consumption of PC resources.

Firefox handled loading 20 pages at once just fine. There were no freezes, the average CPU usage was 50-70%, the page loading speed is quite fast (about 25-30 seconds for everything). The undisputed leader in the loading mode of a large number of tabs.

Google Chrome turned out to be the most voracious browser under heavy load. There were no significant lags when loading 20 pages, but the CPU usage at startup reached 100%, although after 3-4 seconds it dropped to 40-80%. Page loading speed was at the level of Mozilla Firefox.

safari performed poorly when loading a large number of pages: hung up the computer for a decent time, CPU usage fluctuated for a long time at the maximum mark of 100%, large memory consumption and low page loading speed (significantly faster than IE, but much longer than other competitors ).

Freeing up memory

In the last test, I checked how much memory browsers free up when closing 19 pages, all but the initial one from the site. In the diagram, you can see the consumption of RAM by browsers immediately after closing 19 tabs.

Memory consumption by browsers when closing 19 open tabs out of 20

Safari proved to be the worst, as in the previous test. Firefox immediately reduced the memory consumption to 420MB, but after 10 seconds it dropped to 299MB (I gave it the maximum value for fairness). Other browsers performed well.

Results

Despite the fact that Internet Explorer has proven to be a fairly economical browser, I highly recommend not using it! Don't train yourself to be bad. This is a rather primitive, slow and problematic browser, while working with it I got an extremely negative impression. Safari is a good choice for those who do not have the habit of opening a large number of tabs (in other cases, it is better to choose a different browser). Firefox performed well in almost all tests and I believe it will be an excellent choice for any user and computer. In addition, Firefox has great functionality and is appreciated by many web developers. Opera and Google Chrome are functional and fast browsers, but they are better for owners of modern computers due to the significant consumption of computer resources. Let me remind you that Opera showed the fastest page loading. Share your experience of using browsers in the comments 🙂

Hi all. You know that there is a browser that consumes little RAM and that does not load the system much and does not eat a lot of RAM.

Yes, there is such a browser, but few people know about it. And this is Pale Moon. I learned about it a long time ago - I liked it because, unlike others, it works under a normal engine - Mozilla, everything is just very optimized and even some processor instructions are taken into account. That is why I can even say that this is the fastest browser for today.

True, I still use Chrome, which is slower than it. Why Chrome? Yes, there are many reasons - bookmarks, necessary extensions, something else .. I don’t remember anymore .. that is, I use Chrome only because I have been with it for more than a year. And not all extensions I need are supported in Pale Moon.

Pale Moon is based on the Mozilla engine, but not the latest version. I don’t know how they change it, it seems out of necessity, but all sites work very well. And yet there is no Russian language - but it is put separately without any problems. After installing Pale Moon and loading some site, you will immediately notice the difference.

You can download Pale Moon here (off site):

It is completely free and does not install anything extra during installation. There is a version in both 32-bit and 64-bit. Installation is simple, should not cause difficulties:

I downloaded the browser, installed it, and launched it - this is what it looks like:

Yes, right away, of course, he is not very. But if you put the Russian language and play around with the interface, then it will become much more convenient. I won’t write about the Russian language - I thought it was difficult to put it. But as it turned out - everything is easy, there is an instruction on the Internet, everything is simple there, if there is a desire, then put it. The main thing of a browser is its speed.

Regarding the RAM and the load on the computer - yes, it loads a little and uses little RAM. But don't forget that sites are not sickly now - it can't be that a heavy site flies in a super-fast browser on an old computer. I hope you understand this.

The browser is great for me. But there are minuses, or minus, only one - extensions. There are few of them and they are special for Pale Moon. I don’t remember exactly - from the usual Mozilla, or all do not fit, or only some work.

Even now - I installed Pale Moon, looked for YouTube - it opened unrealistically quickly. Another site is also unrealistic. Well, simple sites generally open one in a second.

Pale Moon main menu:

I opened a couple of sites. Now they are closed. I looked at the dispatcher - the browser (the palemoon.exe process) uses 200 mega RAM, which seems to be a little bit by today's standards:

Now I have opened the sites again - Google search engine, Apple site, Pale Moon, RBC, YouTube. All loaded:

In the manager, the RAM consumption has increased to 300 megs:

But I must admit that when everything was loading, the consumption reached 360, and as soon as it loaded, it was 300. The entire loading process took a few seconds.

300 megs - a lot or a little? It's hard to answer. I have long ceased to monitor the consumption of operatives. But when I followed, and this was back in the days of Windows XP, then it was optimal - no more than 250 megs. In general, I think that the browser is good and uses little resources.

I didn't write about CPU usage. It all depends on the site itself, if it is heavy, then it can load, but I think that it is short-term, and the sites themselves load quickly. That is, all these processes in the browser are optimized.

On the Internet, or maybe on the official website, you can even find a version for Atom processors.

The browser is installed in this folder:

C:\Program Files\Pale Moon